More than 30% of food samples in Ukraine exceed permissible levels of trans fats - study finds
Kyiv • UNN
More than 30% of food samples analyzed in Ukraine as part of the WHO FEEDCities project contained excessive amounts of trans fats.
Within the framework of the WHO FEEDCities project, food samples were analyzed, and more than 30% of the samples contained a large amount of trans fats, the level of which exceeded the maximum permissible level. This is reported by the World Health Organization Ukraine, UNN reports.
Details
To support Ukraine in eliminating trans fats, the WHO, with co-funding from Switzerland, implemented the FEEDCities research project. The project studied the content of trans fatty acids, salt, and potassium in food products.
The study showed that among the industrially produced products selected for testing, including some types of cakes, cookies, dairy-based desserts, ice cream, frozen foods, margarine cheeses and processed meats, as well as in samples of "street food" (homemade pastries, pizza, panini, doner, falafel, croissants and cakes), the maximum permissible trans fat content was recorded to be exceeded, which is currently 2 g per 100 g of fat.
The study notes that since the range of foods that exceed the maximum permissible value of trans fats is fragmented and difficult to describe or predict due to the large number of producers and products themselves, consumers cannot fully protect themselves from trans fatty acid consumption through "informed choice". Thus, protecting the population from this risk factor is currently the prerogative of the state.
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Industrially produced trans fats, which are often used in processed foods such as baked and fried foods, increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and death from coronary heart disease.
